New Growth Strategy Announced for Fruit, Vegetable and Potato Sector

A group of leading businesses and organisations in Scotland’s fruit, vegetable and potato industry have come together for the first time to create an ambitious new growth strategy for the sector. Announced today, Planting the Seeds of Growth identifies the key recommendations to grow the fruit, vegetable and potato sectors by 2030, bringing both economic benefits and helping to improve nation’s health as well as the environment as part of Scotland’s food and drink strategy, Ambition 2030, which aims to double the value of the industry within the next 12 years.

Based on four main elements, the growth plan outlines a number of specific recommendations, including:

Seeking to add value at all points

Developing a plan for people and skills

Understanding and targeting opportunities for markets, products, crops and more

Collaboration and innovation along the supply chain and in partnership with the public sector

The Fruit, Vegetable and Potato Industry Leadership Group (ILG) provides the driving force behind the strategy. Rural Economy Secretary Fergus Ewing MSP (pictured centre) said: ‘Scotland has some of the healthiest, freshest and highest quality produce anywhere in the world and there are exciting opportunities ahead for our growers and producers across the fruit, vegetable and potato sector.

‘The sector is key to our wider efforts to improve the nation’s health and well being and this new strategy provides a clear road map for achieving these aims for the benefit of farmers, consumers, and the wider rural economy.’

Allan Bowie, Chair of the Fruit, Vegetable and Potato Industry Leadership Group (pictured above right), added: ‘We recognise that the fruit, vegetable and potato sector in Scotland is diverse and each sub-sector has its own distinct challenges and opportunities but we believe that if the sector works collectively with a focus on skills, innovation, strengthening the supply chain and developing markets, it can carve its place in Scotland’s food and drink success story.’

James Withers, Chief Executive at Scotland Food & Drink (pictured above and left), concluded: ‘With this new strategy we are aiming to forge a strong partnership between industry, government and its agencies to unlock the sector’s potential.

‘The overall aim is to encourage profitable growth for every part of the supply chain while also driving increased consumption of healthy Scottish products.

‘There are a number of uncertainties facing us, not least the implications of Brexit and access to labour, but the new strategy provides the sector with a clear road map for success and we will be working closely with industry and partners to scope out the requirements of each recommendation and develop clear actions and objectives for each one.’